UAE's Rashid Rover 2 heads to US for Moon mission prep

The Emirates Lunar Mission’s Rashid Rover 2 has completed its development and testing in the UAE and is now on its way to the United States for launch preparations.

The mission aims to launch to the far side of the Moon in 2026, marking a major milestone for the UAE’s space ambitions.

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) says the rover successfully passed a full range of environmental and functional tests, including solar panel, vibration, and deployment trials, ensuring it can withstand the harsh conditions of space and the lunar surface.

Earlier this year, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and the UAE's Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister, witnessed the signing of a strategic agreement with Firefly Aerospace, which will provide the lunar lander for the mission.

The Emirates Lunar Mission is funded by the ICT Fund of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority, supporting national research and development in space and ICT.

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) today announced the successful completion of the development of the Emirates Lunar Mission’s Rashid Rover 2, following a comprehensive series of environmental and functional tests conducted in the UAE. The rover has now been dispatched… pic.twitter.com/pVv5bVSz0T

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) November 3, 2025

مركز محمد بن راشد للفضاء يعلن اكتمال تطوير المستكشف "راشد 2 " الذي تم تطويره ضمن مشروع الإمارات لاستكشاف القمر، وذلك بعد سلسلة شاملة من الاختبارات البيئية والوظيفية في دولة الإمارات وبدء التحضيرات لإطلاقه في 2026. وقد تم إرسال المستكشف إلى الولايات المتحدة لبدء المرحلة التالية من… pic.twitter.com/vOtU4yjmsz

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) November 3, 2025